dia de los muertos | recap
Well here we are again, staying indoors and staying safe. I hope that you are staying sane and are finding ways to use this time to be creative and productive, and taking the time and steps to take care of your body and mind.
Mural by Kati Perez
As many of you know, among the groups that have been hit hardest by this pandemic are the creatives and the venues that host them. Artists, musicians, DJs, bartenders, chefs, clubs, bars, restaurants, and studios. Santa Barbara is home to so many creatives and this extensive local community has been instrumentally supportive in helping me launch new event concepts.
One of my biggest supporters and collaborators in 2019 was Bix King and the hard-working team at Eos Lounge, with one of the largest co-productions of the year taking place on Dia de los Muertos with the wildly popular Los Angeles based band Chicano Batman headlining.
We were able to transform a drab parking lot space into a magical outdoor concert venue, complete with custom murals, an art market, a festive VIP lounge, craft taco truck, and more.
Tickets included an exclusive tequila tasting with Volcan de mi Tierra, delicious Mexican cuisine from Mony's, mural art from Kati Perez, and art vendors including Hannah Croshaw, Lazy Eye Shop, and Collin Salazar.
photo by Jaylene Hong
Music acts flowed through the afternoon with Last Resort Forever spinning vinyl, The Elwoods providing surf jams under the sun, new music from Glitterfish members via Kadillac , and a set from uber-talented Los Retros, a 19-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Oxnard who is definitely on the watch-list for rising local talent. Chicano Batman closed the show with an enthusiastic audience of 700+ attendees. Afterparty beats provided by Sam Divine and Lee Wells.
Logistical operations were made possible with the Eos Team managing talent procurement, bars, security, and event equipment. Adept Events came in to manage stage, sound, and lighting. Umbrellas and main bar providing by Redbull, with satellite bars sponsored and styled by Calidad Beer. eji team was on site to style venue and coordinate artists.
It was an amazing event that closed out a wild week of back to back events, and allowed for us to offer a sunny art and music focused option for Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
photo by Jaylene Hong
photo by Jaylene Hong
Flash forward to today - it is important that we stay home, no matter how much we miss our fun events and going out. Our creative industries are depending on these measures to #flattenthecurve as soon as possible, so we can get back to collaborating with artists and enjoy the amazing art and culture this town has to offer!
For now, it is important that we continue to support our creatives efforts to continue working and continue providing their amazing art to our community.
If you have funds to spare, the team at EOS could really use your support. Please donate to their fundraiser “Save the Disco” at https://www.gofundme.com/f/eos-family-fundraise.